Shortly before I joined Salesforce as the Global Innovation Evangelist, I was asked to write the forward to Vodafone Business’ report on software defined networking (SDN) and the role of trust in digital businesses. I wanted to share the foreword with you here… Introduction We live and work in an era of what I call “digital Darwinism,” when disruptive technology is rapidly evolving and so are its effects on markets and society. Over the past decade, digital transformation has emerged…
The COVID-19 pandemic led to a seismic shift in consumer behavior and the future of brand
The first issue of CORE Magazine published by Epsilon features some of my new research on disruption, the Novel Economy and new consumerism. I’d like to share it with you below… The Ultimate Disruption: The COVID-19 pandemic led to a seismic shift in consumer behavior As the virus swept the globe, brands changed how they inter- acted with customers due to social distancing and stay-at- home orders. Consumer perspectives about making purchases also shifted with fluctuations in the stock market, skyrocket-…
COVID-19 Gives Rise to the Novel Economy – Not Yet a New Normal
When COVID-19 started to shut down the world and rock humanity to its core, the world was left without a defense mechanism or a playbook. Suddenly, everything was thrust into disarray with organizations and leaders alike scrambling to respond, to find stability, and ensure business continuity. In my research at Salesforce, I focused on how customers (and employees) were evolving as a result of pandemic disruption and how businesses could use these real-time insights to guide organizational and digital transformation…
The Rise of the ‘Novel Economy’ and the Three Phases to Thrive Against COVID-19 Disruption
I joined Salesforce as Global Innovation Evangelist just as the global pandemic was soaring. The world was unified in its sudden devastation and its urgency to respond to COVID-19 across multiple, critical fronts. As the innovation “evangelist” for one of the most innovative companies in the world, during a worldwide disruptive event, my work seemed inconsequential. It’s been said to never let a crisis go to waste. The only way forward was to start anew. My most pressing agenda was…
Digital transformation: Inventing the Future We Want
Karen Roby is a long-time friend and also a reporter for TechRepublic/CBS Interactive. Every now and then, we spend time together exploring the future of digital transformation and innovation. After I joined Salesforce, she invited me on her show to talk about my new areas of research and thought leadership. I wanted to share our conversation with you here. TechRepublic’s Karen Roby talked with analyst Brian Solis about the impact of COVID-19 on digital transformation. The following is an edited…
The Future Needs a Hero
My friend Nick Davis leads innovation and customer experience at Reaching the Future Faster and faculty chair for corporate innovation at Singularity University. Late in 2019, Nick and I were talking about his upcoming book, “Future Ready: A Changemaker’s Guide to the Exponential Revolution.” When I read the draft, I immediately had an idea for a foreword. We agreed. My request was that I could share it here with upon release. Future Ready is a how-to guide for changemakers who are…
2020 Enterprise Technology Trends: Digital Transformation, AI, Cognitive Automation and Quantum Computing
Karen Roby is a veteran reporter for TechRepublic and ZDNet. Every so often, we get together to talk the latest tech trends and explore how organizations can successfully navigate their path forward. In our latest conversation, we talk about the state of digital transformation, quantum computing, customer experience, and enterprise innovation. Please watch the video here. Full article here. Analyst Brian Solis explains why he is also excited about quantum computing, cognitive automation, and robotic process automation. Karen Roby: You…
Google’s Meena Chatbot Could Humanize Conversational AI, But Are Enterprises Ready to Invest in More Intuitive Digital Customer Experiences
TechTarget’s Don Fluckinger is a friend and a highly regarded tech journalist. He recently rounded up dome of the industry’s leading CX and AI experts to explore Google Meena’s next-generation conversational AI. He always brings together a great group for a productive and thoughtful conversation! For context, chatbots today are largely used in rule-based engagements, sitting on top of structured data to perform a set of focused operations. They connect customers to common information or facilitate everyday transactions. In the more effective…
The Role Boards of Directors and Shareholders Should Play in Guiding Business Innovation and Digital Transformation
My friend Raj Singh is the Chair of the Institute of Directors (IoD) in the UK. IoD has over 30,000 directors as members serving as board members for listed and unlisted companies. For one of its quarterly breakfast club meetings, I was asked to share my views on the role boards of directors need to play in guiding digital transformation and business innovation. Raj also asked for me to discuss the role of customer experience as a catalyst for change. I…
The 11 Digital Trends Shaping CX and Marketing in 2020
Each year, I help kick-off Brand Innovators Mega-Trends event during CES. In the opening keynote, I share the trends (and hopes) I would love brand executives to embrace in the new year. In 2020, the presentation focused on “11 Digital Trends Shaping CX and Marketing.” There are certainly more than 11 trends to follow, but in the context of this conversation, I focused on the convergence of AI, customer empathy, digital distractions and intentions, and the technology that connects the…
